Bull To seal or not to seal

[jfjohn77]

What did you expect them to tell you... Yes, we screwed up on that, or we just want to save money. It's forced air... it will breathe if it has to lift the lid due to pressure. Simple physics, it will find an escape. If concerned, add another smoke stack like I did and Rec teq should so your grill temp is better distributed. You can always close down on the cap if you feel the need... and it looks good too.

 

[Greg Jones]

I purchased my Bull recently and asked tech support about sealing the lid. This is their response email.

"We want that gap to be there! It is allowing proper airflow in the grill so that it maintains proper temps. If it does seal up we ask that you wipe it down so that again, the grill can "breath" properly! Installing a gasket will cause slower temp times and cause the grill to not get to higher temps."

So I decided to defer to the experts.

We have all heard what recteq‘s recommendation is on this. It has been discussed ad nauseam here . As an experiment, respond to recteq and ask them how they build these grill so that they have the proper lid gap so that it optimizes the air flow. Ask them why manufacturers of other high quality pellet grills seal their lids. In other words, BS to justify why they don’t ship the grills sealed is just that-BS. Looking at it another way, Komodo style cookers have one entry point (the firebox damper) for airflow and one exit point (the draft damper) for the airflow to escape. Ask yourself why they all seal up the lid as right s it can be. Do what you fell you need to do, but realize that recteq may promote a certain opinion on this because it allows them to make the grill more cheaply.

 

[jfjohn77]

You make an interesting point. You've given me a lot to research. I haven't had my Bull long at all and when I did my first cook I saw the smoke coming from the lid and immediately emailed RecTeq. What gasket have people been using?

LavaLock High-Temp Vision Grill Replacement Gasket​

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N1QKCR2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[eldoradocaddy]

LavaLock High-Temp Vision Grill Replacement Gasket​

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N1QKCR2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks

 

[darkness]

I just purchased a RT-700 what are the pros and cons of weather stripping the lid, will I get more wood flavor?

From MN as well, I don't think there is a large amount of heat loss from the current lid. Like others have said it is all over the forum but I think a quick 1-2 answer never hurts. I did the lava lock for just 2 reasons. 1) Reduce smoke/oil drips to the outside 2) Later when I add a cover/welding blanket I don't need to worry about it staining that at all. I mean MN winters get cold and a blanket reduces your pellet consumption a bit. A benefit I didn't know I would see is it less noisy when closing, not that I was dropping the lid but you forget the weight sometimes and close it faster than normal.

 

[SweaT-rex]

I used 1/2" Lavalock black to seal my lid & smoker box. I now note more smoke out of the stack & the drip chute to the bucket, but no change in getting to or maintaining temp. It definitely keeps the outside of the grill much cleaner.

 

[Mrgreen617]

No more wood flavor from sealing the lid, it will only help to keep the outside surfaces of the grill cleaner.

Is it better to apply to the lid or to the main barre

 

[Mrgreen617]

Can I jump in here with a question? And, for full disclosure... I just sealed my lid and hopper on my new 700 before I even heated it up, also sealed the smoke stack and ordered a second smoke stack to install on the right hand side. If she needs "to breath", she can do it through that. I read somewhere, in one of the many threads on this subject (and spent all last night searching and looking for it) about someone adding a drip bar on the lid just above the seal tape. It is also pictured it the thread Collection of Mods. Trying to get more info on this, as in was this something that was acquired and modified to work (MacGyvered), or readily available. I was thinking maybe an exterior door sweep??? Not sure what member posted that.

Did you mount gasket on the door or the main chamber

 

[SmokeOCD]

I vote lid with absolutely no science to back it up. Actually before a few high heat cooks the gap on my 1070 was so bad I did barrel and lid.

 

[Mrgreen617]

Did you mount gasket on the door or the main chamber

Thanks for sharing the drip bar photo. Going to add this to my 590.

 

[Mrgreen617]

I vote lid with absolutely no science to back it up. Actually before a few high heat cooks the gap on my 1070 was so bad I did barrel and lid.

I need someone with a 590 to chime in. I did the main barrel and it doesn’t seal all the way. Since it’s a hexagon the center section basically not matching corner to corner now. Center section of the lid since it’s 3 sides of the hexagon. If that makes sense. Now I have to scrape all this off and don’t think it’d help putting it on the lid. Need to see what others have done with their 590s

 

[Waterboy]

I need someone with a 590 to chime in. I did the main barrel and it doesn’t seal all the way. Since it’s a hexagon the center section basically not matching corner to corner now. Center section of the lid since it’s 3 sides of the hexagon. If that makes sense. Now I have to scrape all this off and don’t think it’d help putting it on the lid. Need to see what others have done with their 590s

I don’t have a 590 but if your lid doesn’t sit well on the barrel you may have to loosen the screws on the hinges and adjust them until the lid lays a little flatter to the barrel.

 

[Motodad1776]

Yes you must adjust the lid as Waterboy mentioned, very easy to do. I did Lava lock on my lid and hopper about a year ago, zero regrets and seals/works well. I no longer latch my hopper, first off it's a tight fit with the seal now, and secondly I don't believe it's necessary.

 

[Kentramz]

So a penguin is driving his car in the desert. All of sudden his car breaks down. Luckily, he's pretty close to gas station. So he waddles behind his car and pushes it to the gas station. He asks the mechanic to take a look and find the problem. Mechanic tells him to come back in 30 minutes. So the penguin is getting hot being in the desert and all, and decides to find something to cool him off. He goes in the convenience store and buys some vanilla ice cream. He eats the ice cream and makes a big mess on his face. Finally he goes back to the mechanic to find out the problem. Mechanic says," Looks like you blew a seal." To which the penguin replies, "No, no. It's just a little ice cream."

Haven’t heard that Joe for years! That was my dad’s go to my whole life. He’s been gone for 5 years now. Thanks for the trip down memory lane kind stranger

 

[Muldokken]

I just purchased a RT-700 what are the pros and cons of weather stripping the lid, will I get more wood flavor?

I have done alot of mods with no ill affects. it will keep the outside of the grill looking good but no on the smoke

 

[Mrgreen617]

Oh

I don’t have a 590 but if your lid doesn’t sit well on the barrel you may have to loosen the screws on the hinges and adjust them until the lid lays a little flatter to the barrel.

I have loosened added shims and tried all sorts of methods. Other than elongating the holes tk move the lid further than factory settings allowed. This is my result at max forward and with a 14 gauge SS shim under hinges.

 

[Threadcutter]

So a penguin is driving his car in the desert. All of sudden his car breaks down. Luckily, he's pretty close to gas station. So he waddles behind his car and pushes it to the gas station. He asks the mechanic to take a look and find the problem. Mechanic tells him to come back in 30 minutes. So the penguin is getting hot being in the desert and all, and decides to find something to cool him off. He goes in the convenience store and buys some vanilla ice cream. He eats the ice cream and makes a big mess on his face. Finally he goes back to the mechanic to find out the problem. Mechanic says," Looks like you blew a seal." To which the penguin replies, "No, no. It's just a little ice cream."

 

[C. Keeper]

View attachment 20738

 

[Mrgreen617]

I don’t have a 590 but if your lid doesn’t sit well on the barrel you may have to loosen the screws on the hinges and adjust them until the lid lays a little flatter to the barrel.

I’ll have to make the elongated holes longer for proper adjustment.

 

[Motodad1776]

You did both the horizontal and vertical adjustment.......correct?